A Guide to Improving Your Hip and Pelvis Mobility

Want to boost your hip and pelvic mobility, posture, and/or pain? This guide is for you.

I’ll show you through a series of tests and exercises refined over my 13 years as a physical therapist for these problems.

By following these steps, you can figure out any restrictions you have and work to address them with specific exercises.

Step 1: Range of Motion Testing

To know what you need to address, you must assess your hip mobility. Testing can better identify where your specific restrictions are. Most hip muscles connect to the pelvis, so your hip’s range of motion can reveal key insights into your pelvic mobility.

1. Supine Hip External Rotation (ER):

• Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight.
• Let your bent knee fall out to the side without the opposite hip coming off
• If your knee stays over two fist lengths from the ground, you’re restricted in external rotation.

2. Supine Hip Internal Rotation (IR):

• Start in the same position.
• Cross your bent knee over your straight leg without letting your lower back twist.
• If you can’t bring the knee across the middle of your thigh, you’re restricted in internal rotation.

3. Prone Hip External Rotation (ER):

• Lie face down, hands on your forehead, and bend one knee.
• Move your bent knee across your body toward the opposite leg without the hip leaving the ground
• A normal range here is about 60 degrees. Anything less indicates a restriction.

4. Prone Hip Internal Rotation (IR):

• In the same position, move the knee outward, away from your body without letting the opposite hip leave the ground.
• The normal range is around 40 degrees. Less than this suggests a limitation.

Step 2: Interpreting Results

Now that you know where your restrictions are, match your test results to one of these four common patterns. This will help pinpoint the best exercise approach.

1. Hella Stiff (Limited in All Tests):

• You’re in this category if all four tests show limited movement.

2. Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT):

• Restricted supine external rotation (ER).
• Limited prone internal rotation (IR) at 0 degrees but good supine IR.

3. Swayback Posture:

• Limited prone ER .
• Good supine ER at, but limited supine IR.

4. Asymmetrical or Lateral Tilt:

• Restrictions vary between the sides. Often, one side has limited ER, and the other side has limited IR.

STEP 3: Exercises

Based on your test results, follow the exercise sequence for your specific restriction.

For each movement, the breathing sequence is as follows:

• Slow 5 count inhale through the nose (75% of a maximal inhale)
• Soft 5 count exhale through the mouth (75% of a maximal exhale)

Here’s a breakdown:

Hella Stiff

The name of the game for this person is to reduce overall muscle activity and open up the front and backside of the body.

1. Sidelying Decompression:

• Lie on your side with a yoga block under bottom hip and ribcage
• Breathe and relax in this position for 2-5 minutes
• Think about melting down into the blocks

2. Foam Roll Rolling

• Lie on your side with one leg on a foam roller at less than 90 degrees of hip flexion.
• Slowly roll forward and back for 2-5 minutes, keeping it relaxed.

3. Wave Roll:

• Place a foam roller between your shins with hips at just under 90 degrees.
• Roll your arm slowly backward toward your chest, letting the rest of the body go along for the ride
• Let your knee drive the motion back to the start position.

Side Hang:

• Straddle a bench with your trunk hanging to the side.
• Hold for 60 seconds, working up to three sets per side.

Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT)

For these folks, we want to open the upper part of the pelvis. This helps shift the weight backward, reducing the anterior pelvic tilt.

1. Hooklying Breathing:

• Lie on your back with feet flat and a yoga block between your legs.
• Press feet down without moving the pelvis. This will engage the hamstrings.
• Perform 3-4 sets of 60 seconds, keeping the pressure and breathing per above.

2. Frog 120:

• Feet together, knees apart
• Reach the arms at a 120 degree angle with the palms up.
• Breathe per above, letting your lower back relax into the ground.

3. Wall Squat:

• Stand with your back against the wall, feet about two feet forward.
• Slide down the wall, keeping the waistband area up against the wall
• Use your feet to push your waistband area up into the wall
• Hold for 3 sets x 60 seconds.  

4. Flutter Kicks:

• Lie on your back, legs straight.
• Reach the arms at a 120 degree angle with the palms up
• Flutter your legs up and down without arching your back. Work towards getting your legs lower to the ground.
• Perform this for 3 sets x 60 seconds.

Swayback Posture

The goal here is to open up the lower portion of the pelvis by driving internal rotation.

1. Crime Scene Pose:

• Lie on your stomach
• One knee and elbow out to the side
• Gently press that knee, elbow, and wrist down
• Breathe per above for 3 sets x 60 seconds per side.

2. Ball Frog:

• Place a Swiss ball between your legs, keeping the feet together
• Press into the ball
• Arms will be flare out, with hands pressing on the top of the head
• Hold this position for 3 sets x 60 seconds.

3. Box Squat:

• Small plates under heels with toes pointing outward.
• Reach a weight out in front of your chest.
• Inhale and squat to the box
• Exhale and back up
• Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

4. Split Squat:

• Front foot on an elevated surface. Small plate under the heel
• Soft knees
• Inhale and drop down, staying heavy on the front foot
• Exhale and back up

Asymmetrical Pelvis Posture (Lateral Pelvic Tilt)

Here is the time we basically want to driving rotation away from the hiked side.

1. Side Lying Shift:

• Lie on your side with the limited ER side down
• Place feet on a wall flat
• Exhale and reach arm and knee forward without losing foot position.
• Hold for 3 sets x 60 seconds.

2. Z Sit:

• Limited ER leg in front, resting on the outside knee
• Limited IR leg at side, resting on the inside knee
• Log roll forward and push pelvis up through the two knee points.
• Hold and breathe in this position for 3 sets x 60 seconds.

3. Lateral Squat Hold:

• Stand with feet wide.
• Keeping foot flat, the leg limited in ER pushes toward the limited IR side.
• Straight line from eye to foot
• Elbow reaches across body
• Hold for 3 sets x 60 seconds.

4. Front Foot Elevated Split Squat with Rack:

• Elevate your front foo
• Soft knees
• Hold a weight at your side.
• Keep heavy on the front foot
• Inhale and drop down
• Exhale and come up
• Perform 3 sets x 10 reps.

Sum Up

Once you’ve mastered these exercises, you’ll notice better hip mobility and improved pelvic posture. If shoulder or trunk issues are also affecting your posture, consider following a similar approach to address those areas, like the one found here.